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Board of Public Works Meeting of December 6, 1983 Page 1
A meeting of the Board of Public Works convened in Room 16,
Municipal Building at 720 P.M. Present were Chairman Wood, Secretary
Barker, Board Members Polychrones, Griffin and Hampson and Assistant
Superintendents Edward D. McIntire, Jr. and William R. Bergeron.
It was moved, seconded and voted 3:0:2 (Mr. Barker and Mr.
Polychrones abstaining) to approve the minutes of the Board of Public
Works Meeting of November 21, 1983 as written.
It was moved, seconded and voted 6:0 to approve the minutes of
the Board of Public Works Meeting of October 31, 1983 as corrected.
It was moved, seconded and voted 5:0 to approve the minutes of
the Board of Public Works Meeting of November 7, 1983 as written.
The Board reviewed the request from Sigismund J. Olson to become
a Licensed Drain Layer for the purpose of doing one job of connecting the
sewer line at 14 Lucy Drive.
Mr. Barker moved to grant permission to Sigismund Olson to become
a Licensed Drain Layer for the Town of Reading subject to the usual
stipulations. The motion was seconded and voted S:O.
Mr. McIntire stated the construction is limited to private
property only in the Town of Reading, this permit is just for one
connection. If he wishes to apply for other jobs, he will have to reapply
for a license.
The Board reviewed the request of P&D Building Moving, Inc. of
Burlington.
It was moved, seconded and voted 5:0 to grant P&D Building Movers
approval to move a house from 126 Main St., North Reading to Lot 3A, Main
Street, Reading, subject to the conditions stipulated by the Department.
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Board of Public Works Meeting of December 6, 1983 Page 2
It was moved, seconded and voted 3:1:1 (Mr. Griffin opposed and
Mrs. Wood abstaining) to accept as a point of information the Scenic Road
Regulations adopted by the Reading Planning Board on November 17, 1983.
It was moved, seconded and voted S:O to accept the letter from
the Reading Senior Youth Baseball as a point of information and that the
letter be posted at the appropriate place at the garage.
It was moved, seconded and voted S:O to accept the letter from
R.H. White Construction Co. regarding a meeting with the Board of Public
Works on December 19, 1983 as a point of information.
It was moved, seconded and voted 5:0 to approve the request of
the Reading Clergy Association for the blocking off of a section of Salem
Street on December 16 and directed the Department to cooperate as usual
with this matter.
It was moved, seconded and voted 5:0 to accept the letter from
the Selectmen to Attorney Kenneth Latham regarding their official approval
to have TASC make test borings at the Reading DPW incinerator site.
Mr. McIntire stated John Agnew was told to notify the authorities
before any test borings are done. The borings will be limited to a small
area.
all.
Mr. Griffin asked if this will interfere with our operations at
Mr. McIntire replied we will be notified in time to move any of
our equipment that may be in the way.
The Board next discussed the report from Jack H. Fenton, Utility
Safety Consultant, regarding specific safety issue requests from the Board
and Water Treatment Plant, safety issues.
Board of Public Works Meeting of December 6, 1983 Page 3
Mr. McIntire stated he spoke with Mr. Fenton regarding the one
vs. two man plowing operations. Mr. Fenton is talking with surrounding
communities regarding their operations and their accident histories. He
will in the next weeks review our plowing routes and he wishes to do that
prior to making any recommendations to the Board.
Mr. Griffin stated we had long discussions on this last year, at
that time I suggested we could identify all of the hazard areas.
Mr. McIntire stated this is the reason Mr. Fenton wants to
investigate all of the routes.
Chairman Wood stated that contractors who drive plows do in most
cases have someone ride with them.
Mr. Polychrones stressed that he would like all private
contractors to have some kind of identification on their trucks to show
they are working for the Town of Reading.
Mr. McIntire stated there are several ways of taking care of
this, one of them is to keep a list of all registration numbers of all
contractors working for the Town of Reading.
Mr. Barker asked that the Board not schedule the recommendations
of Mr. Fenton regarding snow plowing before January S, 1984.
Mr. Barker requested that the overhead bump hazards should be
marked with rubber coated neoprene with yellow tape on the hazard. He also
stated although he agrees with the recommendation of securing the fencing,
he feels this is not practical. This is going to make it difficult for
deliveries to be made to the plant unless we can regulate some kind of
pushbutton system.
Mr. McIntire stated he will look into the safety problems at the
treatment plant and discuss them with the Fire and Police Chiefs.
Board of Public Works Meeting of December 6, 1983 Page 4
Mr. Hamoson stated regarding the ammonia and chlorine rooms, it
is always a good idea to have two men performing these duties.
Mr. McIntire stated it is the usual procedure to use the Scott
Air Paks when doing this function.
Mr. Griffin stated he has serious misgivings about the Chlorine
Dioxide Room pending full installation of the venting system we have
approved. He stated he has been in this room recently and there is a
specific odor in the room that is very sharp.
Mr. McIntire stated we could also instruct the operating
personnel to use the Scott Air Pak when entering this room. He spoke with
Mr. Willis today and CDM has approved the shop drawings for the vent
system, that approval has been sent to R.H. White.
Chairman Wood stated under Miscellaneous items, she would like to
see reflective vests in all vehicles and on all personnel, both for the
call men and for any jobs. She felt these men need identification. Every
vehicle should have two vests in it to be used every time personnel get
out of their vehicles to go into the street at any time they are on a
job. She requested that this be a policy decision.
Mr. Barker moved that the Department be instructed to equip all
department vehicles with a minimum of two safety vests and said safety
vests be worn at all times, beginning with and including the Assistant
Superintendents, when work is being conducted in the public way. The
motion was seconded.
Mr. Barker stated it is clear the Board feels strongly about the
commitment to wear these vests. He stated he would like to see the
Departments recommendations come back including all safety factors to be
used including cones, etc. to state how the Department will protect the
public from these conditions.
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Board of Public Works Meeting of December 6, 1983 Page S
Mr. Griffin stated I don't want to make safety punitive, up to
now this has not been the case.
Mr. Barker stated our insurance company, Fred S. James Co., is
offering safety advisory services and he feels we should look into this.
Mr. McIntire stated we have already had two meetings with them.
Mr. Polychrones stated he would like a minimum of two cones on
each truck and at least one chock on each truck.
Mr. Barker requested the Department report back to the Board on
the action items on Mr. Fenton's report.
Mr. Hampson moved to table the motion for later discussion. The
motion was seconded and voted 5:0.
The Board adjourned temporarily at 8:56 P.M. to meet as the Board
of Survey.
The meeting reconvened at 10:00 P.M.
The Board next had a general discussion concerning the FY85
Budget.
Regarding rubbish collection, Chairman Wood asked that the
Department come back with cost proposals for rubbish collection as we
presently have it, and in addition, municipal collection. She stated the
Department should also inform the landfill users that the landfill will be
closed on July 1, 1984.
Mr. Barker stated he would like to see for the water and sewer
section a presentation on what it would cost to operate the Water
Treatment Plant on a normal 40 hour schedule, i.e., a severe reduction in
normal operating overtime and including costs for additional personnel. He
would like to see an assignment schedule which reduces the need for
present overtime.
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Board of Public Works Meeting of December 6, 1983 Page 6
Mr. Barker stated he would also like to see the possibility of
the sewer pumping station responsibility transferred to the water main
staff.
Mr. Griffin requested a report on the funding for the hydrant
The Board signed the Payroll and the Billroll for the period
ending December 2, 1983.
The meeting adjourned at 11:00 P.M.
Respectfully submitted,
Secretary